A 26-year-old Phoenix resident, Rommel Ramrathan, has been arrested and remanded in custody after a police operation uncovered a cache of firearms, including a police service pistol and ammunition, as well as drugs and a drug manufacturing machine.
According to police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, Ramrathan was arrested on Tuesday afternoon, 28 January 2025, at his Westham residence. “Police in KwaZulu-Natal arrested a 26-year-old suspect after he was found in possession of eight firearms, five stun grenades, several rounds of ammunition of various calibre of firearms, including armour-piercing ammunition, as well as a drug manufacturing machine and different types of drugs at Westham in Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon.”
Colonel Netshiunda explained that police officers from the Provincial Organised Crime and Provincial Drugs and Firearms Unit received information about a man suspected of having firearms in each of his vehicles. An operation was planned, and upon execution, Ramrathan was arrested as he attempted to flee from his residence. He was found in possession of a firearm and drugs.
A subsequent search led to the recovery of two shotguns inside Ramrathan’s apartment. “The other five firearms were found inside each of his (suspect) five vehicles. Attempts were still underway to break-open his luxurious fully armoured SUV vehicle for a further search.”
Notably, one of the recovered pistols belongs to the police service. There were also police-issued rounds of ammunition of an R5 rifle, shotgun ammunition, and it is suspected that the recovered stun grenades belong to the police service. Colonel Netshiunda added that investigations have begun to uncover whether Ramrathan was in collusion with police officers or if the firearm, ammunition, and other recovered items were stolen from brutally killed police officers.
Ramrathan is believed to be involved in the drug turf war drive-by shootings and other drug-related criminal activities. He appeared in court and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance this month.
